After shaking up the micro-brand watch world with an evolving family of dive watches featuring cool case and dial materials, Singapore-based Zelos is proud to introduce their very first chronograph watch. This month, the brand launched the Zelos Experimental Swiss Auto Chronograph collection on Kickstarter, a new family of chronograph watches that can be configured with a Swiss Valjoux 7750 or the Seiko VK67A “meca-quartz” movement. In traditional Zelos fashion, the watches can also come fitted with meteorite dials, marine-grade bronze cases, and Titanium Damascus, which hasn’t been used for a watch case until now. However, the most noteworthy variant is the ZX-8 Limited Edition, which features a dial crafted from a component removed from a mission-flown SR-71 Blackbird.

The Zelos Experimental Swiss Auto Chronograph comes in a very wearable 43mm case size, is water-resistant to 100m, and features a clear three-register chronograph layout with sub-dials at 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. The dial itself is multi-layered and has an application of BGW9 lume while an AR-coated sapphire crystal offers added protection. When selecting a model, customers will also be able to choose between titanium and CuSn8 marine grade bronze, which has been a staple of the Zelos design ethos throughout the years. Additional case dimensions make for a surprisingly wrist-friendly watch with a 16mm case thickness and 49mm lug-to-lug measurement.

Certain models – like the ZX-7 pictured above – also feature a ceramic bezel. In the ZX-7, a unique Ti-Damascus case has been implemented, which involves forging together two different titanium alloys that are heated to approximately 400°C to bring out the brilliant colors. Popular with blade manufacturers, Ti-Damascus is corrosion-resistant, anti-magnetic, and very lightweight. The production process is quite difficult to execute and Zelos is proud to offer this unique material in the Experimental Swiss Auto Chronograph. As mentioned before, this is the very first time Ti-Damascus has been used for a watch case material. So the colors, the look, and the feel are totally unique to this very special Zelos model. Because of the tremendous difficulty involved with producing these cases, quantities are extremely limited.

But, Zelos didn’t stop there. For those interested in owning a small piece of aviation history, Zelos is also offering the ZX-8 Limited Edition featuring a titanium dial produced from an actual SR-71 Blackbird component. In this case, the part is often referred to as the “turkey feather” – a small component that fits in with the larger exhaust nozzle assembly. Like the Ti-Damascus version, this model is extremely limited due to the fact that Zelos was able to obtain only one of these parts courtesy of Daniel Freeman, Supervisor and Chief of Metals Technology for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. It’s a completely different experience to realize that a small part of your watch probably cruised at three times the speed of sound at some point and Zelos is proud to offer this very unique ownership experience for fans of the brand.

While the highly-limited models and meteorite dials are certainly enticing, Zelos is also producing the Zelos Experimental Swiss Auto Chronograph in a range of standard dial colors like black and a deep sunburst blue. All models will come fitted with Horween leather straps and every Experimental Swiss Auto Chronograph is backed by a 1-year warranty. Currently the project is live on Kickstarter with prices ranging between $379 and $2,087 depending on dial, case, and movement combinations. To learn more, visit Zelos on Kickstarter or their official website. zeloswatches.com